Systems for moving demountable freight containers along supporting platforms therefor



July 7, '1964 w. D. STEADMAN 3,140,076 SYSTEMS FOR MOVING OUNTABLE FREIGHT CONTAINERS FOR Filed Oct. 15 1962 ALONG SUPPORTI PLATFORMS THERE v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W. D. Steadman.

BY 9; MM

July 7, 1964 w D N 3,140,076

SYSTEMS FOR MOVING DEMOUNTABLE FREIGHT CONTAINERS ALONG SUPPORTING PLATFORMS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ///I/// //f //////V [/77] INVENTOR. W. D. Steadman.

agent.

United States Patent SYSTEMS FOR MOVING DEMOUNTABLE FREIGHT CONTAINERS ALONG SUPPORT- ING PLATFORMS THEREFOR William D. Steadman, Oakville, Gntario, Canada, assignor, by mesne assignments, to General American 'Iransportation Corporation, Chicago, lit, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,648 3 Claims. (Cl. 254-405) The invention relates to systems for moving or sliding freight containers, or the like, along supporting platforms therefor.

More specifically, the platform along which the freight container is moved or slid may comprise the cargo-carrying bed of a land, sea, or air conveyance or it may be the deck of a stationary structure such as a stage, ramp, dock, or the like.

The invention is specifically addressed to the movement of such freight containers onto or ofi a platform as aforesaid or between two or more such platforms; some principal objects of the invention being to provide economical, efficient, reliable, convenient and, especially, versatile, equipment for these purposes.

It is a further main object of the invention to provide container moving equipment comprised of a device suitable for disposition on a platform as by imbedment therein and an impeller co-operating with said device for moving a container relative to the platform.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such equipment in which the impeller, at least, is portable and hence transferable from job to job.

For example, such impeller may be maintained on stand-by at a depot where cargo is usually shifted between conveyances, for example, hence obviating the need for each aforesaid conveyance to carry its own impeller as part of its regular equipment although it may well carry the co-operating device.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide in such equipment an impeller with a reciprocating stroke thus diminishing the requisite length of its movement and, hence, its size and also thereby enhancing its portability.

Ideally, such impeller may be operable by fluid pressuree.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, and so forth-derived preferably from a portable and likewise stand-by pump at the depot aforesaid.

More specific objects of the invention are to provide in such equipment a rack for mounting on a platform as by imbedment in a groove in the platform; facilities on said impeller for co-operation with said rack to form a ratchet; a hinge complement constituting a connector for swingably coupling said impeller to a container, and simply adjustable means for adapting the impeller either to push or pull the container in the use of the equipment.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention more or less broad than those above stated will be in part obvious and in part specifically enumerated in the hereinafter following description of the elements, parts, and priniciples constituting the invention; a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated by way of example only in the hereunto annexed drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts of the invention throughout and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometrical fragmentary view of a container on a platform having a rack and with an impeller in operative position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the impeller and a fragment of the rack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side 'elevational view of the matter in FIG. 2 as adjusted to vary the direction of container movement relative to the platform;

3,140,676 Patented July 7, 1964 FIG. 4 is a schematic view of apresent impeller operatively connected to a pump and valve;

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing the cylinder alone in a state of expansion; and

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 5 but particularly illustrating the effects resulting from a variation in the setting of the valve; the same view illustrating also an operative characteristic of the invention.

The invention visualizes a motor in the form of an impeller which operates in the manner of a bellows--i.e. alternately expanding and contracting; said impeller being attachable to a container for swinging into and out of engagement with a rack on a platform; said impeller having at least one dog for co-operation with the said rack to form a ratchet assembly whereby to push or pull the container relative to the rack and its supporting platform as the impeller is expanded and contracted.

In the present embodiment, the invention contemplates an impeller having a pair of motor elements 1lll2 which are relatively reciprocable along a common axis, being the piston assembly and piston housing respectively of cylinder 14; the rod 16 projecting from the housing 12 being in turn a part of the piston assembly 10.

As shown by FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the interior of housing 12 is divided by the piston 10' included in piston assembly 14) into chambers 18 and 20 respectively communi cating with pump P through valve 22 and supply lines 182ll as shown in FIG. 4. Said valve 22 is a reversing valve which is manually or automatically operable in a known manner to alternate the positive and negative forces emanating from pump P between the chambers 18'2ll aforesaid, thereby procuring the aforesaid expansion and contraction of the cylinder 14 as will be understood. That is to say, the valve 22 may be set to introduce pressure into chamber 18 thus moving the piston assembly 16 to FIG. 5 position. Conversely the valve 22 may be operated to re-route the compressed fluid into chamber 20 moving the piston assembly 10 to FIG. 6 position. Needless to say, under the inertia of container 3% the initial motion will be made by the piston housing 12. However, as the latter is arrested by the means hereinafter described, the piston assembly 10 alone will move.

Each of said motor elements-the piston assembly 10 and housing 12-is fitted with a connector to be more particularly described; said connectors moving successively apart and together upon the expansion and contraction of the said cylinder 14 and serving the purpose of interconnecting the cylinder 14 between container 30 and platform 32 as will appear.

The invention also contemplates the narrow elongated rack 34 which may consist of spaced-apart rails 3636 with a series of abutments 38 straddling the space therebetween. Said abutments 38 are regularly spaced from each other and form the rack teeth; the spacing therebetween being in any event less than the stroke of cylinder 14.

Said rack 34 is intended to be disposed on a platform 32 as by imbedment in groove 34 pointing in the direction of the desired axis of movement of container 30.

In the present example, the piston housing 12 has a dog 40 projecting from its head 42 which, for present purposes is regarded as a connector coupling the cylinder 14 to platform 32; said dog 40 being designed to complement rack 34 in a ratchet structure or combination.

That is to say, said dog 40 has a leading surface 44 shaped to engage an abutment 38 in its path when the cylinder 14 moves in one direction to expand; its trailing surface 46 being designed to trip over abutments 38 when the cylinder 14 moves in the opposite direction to contract.

The second dog 40' carried by the cylinder head or connector 42 is conversely shaped as to its leading and trailing surfaces 44-46 and is spaced approximately 90 from first dog 40 in this exemplary embodiment.

Preferably the width of each of said dogs 40-40 is such as to enable it to fit between rails 36-36 of the rack 34.

The connector 48 on piston rod 16 is a hinge complement looped to embrace a bar or pin 48 or like anchorage on container 3t) thus forming a hinge coupling about which said cylinder 14 is swingable to a degree suflicient, at least, to permit it to rise and fall with the tripping of dogs 40 or 40 over abutments 38; said swingability serving also for equalizing minor differences in the levels of container 30 and platform 37.

Before using the present equipment, it is a necessary first step, of course, to juxtapose the container 30 and platform 32; it being assumed that either the container 30 or platform 32, at least, is on a conveyance and hence readily juxtaposible as aforesaid.

The piston rod connector 48 is then coupled to pin 48 on container 39 for example, by slipping said pin 48 through the looping of connector 48 and the cylinder 14 is disposed with dog 40, for example, in engagement with rack 34 as shown in FIG. 3.

Valve 22 may then be operated to cause expansion and contraction of cylinder 14 as previously indicated to procure engagement of dog 40 with successive abutments 33 whereby to pull container 30 onto platform 32.

To procure reverse movement of the container 30, it is necessary only to rotate connector 42 (the cylinder head) to place and maintain dog 46 out of engagement with rack 34 while re-engaging it with dog 40 expansion of the cylinder 14 will then procure engagement of successive abutments 38 with the leading edge 44 of dog 40 whereby to push the container 30 off platform 32.

It need scarcely be observed that the expansion and contraction of cylinder 14 does not require movement of both the piston assembly 10 and its housing 12; the same effects being achieved by the movement of only one of these parts when and if the other of them is temporarily arrested.

The engagement of dog 40' with an abutment 38 is shown in FIG. 3 whereas corresponding engagement of dog 40 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, FIGS. and 6 show the cylinder 14 respectively expanded and contracted while FIG. 6 shows dog 40 in full lines tripping over an abutment 38.

The foregoing description is intended to be merely illustrative of the present inventive idea in relation to the particular embodiment selected for this purpose. Accordingly, the true scope of the invention is to be limited only to the extent which is apparent from the claims hereinafter following.

What I claim is:

1. In a freight handling system, a substantially flat supporting platform arranged in a generally horizontal position, a substantially box-like freight container demountably and movably supported on top of said platform, a unitary motor of the cylinder-piston type including an elongated cylinder element and a piston mutually mounted upon each other for selective longitudinal sliding movements with respect to each other, an elongated connector element rigidly secured to said piston and movable therewith, whereby said cylinder element and said connector element are selectively movable longitudinally with respect to each other between extended and contracted positions, means for selectively operating said motor alternately to move said elements longitudinally between their extended and contracted positions, means for detachably connecting said connector element to the lower central portions of said freight container and adjacent to the top of said platform, and mechanism including an elongated rack and a cooperating pawl, said rack being securely anchored to the top of said platform, said pawl being carried by said cylinder element and located adjacent to the inner end thereof presented toward said detachable connection, said pawl being selectively adjustable on the inner end of said cylinder element between first and second positions of cooperation with said rack, wherein said pawl in its first position clutches said rack in response to longitudinal movement of said elements into their extended position and overrides said rack in response to longitudinal movement of said elements into their contracted position, with the result that said motor travels with said freight container and pushes said freight container with a step-by-step motion along said platform and in a corresponding first direction longitudinally of said rack, wherein said pawl in its second position overrides said rack in response to longitudinal movement of said elements into their extended position and clutches said rack in response to longitudinal movement of said elements into their contracted position, with the result that said motor travels with said freight container and pulls said freight container with a step-by-step motion along said platform and in a corresponding second direction longitudinally of said rack, wherein said first and second directions are opposite to each other, wherein said detachable connection between said connector element and the lower central portion of said freight container accommodates pivotal movements of said motor in the vertical direction with respect to said freight container, so as to facilitate overriding of said pawl with respect to said rack, said detachable connection also accommodating rapid connection and disconnection of said motor with respect to the lower central portion of said freight container, so as to facilitate ready handling of said motor and the ease with which said freight container is handled on said platform, and wherein said location of said pawl on said cylinder element adjacent to said inner end thereof accommodates cooperation of said pawl with the extreme end portion of said rack disposed adjacent to an edge of said platform, so as to facilitate movements of said freight container by said motor when said freight container is supported by said platform adjacent to said edge thereof.

2. The freight handling system set forth in claim 1 wherein said rack is arranged in an elongated channel provided in the top of said platform and securely anchored in place therein, and wherein the top of said rack is disposed substantially flush with the principal area of the top of said platform.

3. The freight handling system set forth in claim 1, wherein said rack has a lateral dimension of the order of that of said motor, said pawl has a lateral dimension that is only somewhat less than that of said rack, and said pawl clutches a substantial portion of the lateral dimension of said rack from side-to-side thereof.

Bingham July 11, 1961 Roussel Apr. 24, 1962 

1. IN A FREIGHT HANDLING SYSTEM, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SUPPORTING PLATFORM ARRANGED IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, A SUBSTANTIALLY BOX-LIKE FREIGHT CONTAINER DEMOUNTABLY AND MOVABLY SUPPORTED ON TOP OF SAID PLATFORM, A UNITARY MOTOR OF THE CYLINER-PISTON TYPE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED CYLINDER ELEMENT AND A PISTON MUTUALLY MOUNTED UPON EACH OTHER FOR SELECTIVE LONGITUDINAL SLIDING MOVEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, AN ELONGATED CONNECTOR ELEMENT RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID PISTON AND MOVABLE THEREWITH, WHEREBY SAID CYLINDER ELEMENT AND SAID CONNECTOR ELEMENT ARE SELECTIVELY MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER BETWEEN EXTENDED AND CONTRACTED POSITIONS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING SAID MOTOR ALTERNATELY TO MOVE SAID ELEMENTS LONGITUDINALLY BETWEEN THEIR EXTENDED AND CONTRACTED POSITIONS, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID CONNECTOR ELEMENT TO THE LOWER CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER AND ADJACENT TO THE TOP OF SAID PLATFORM, AND MECHANISM INCLUDING AN ELONGATED RACK AND A COOPERATING PAWL, SAID RACK BEING SECURELY ANCHORED TO THE TOP OF SAID PLATFORM, SAID PAWL BEING CARRIED BY SAID CYLINDER ELEMENT AND LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE INNER END THEREOF PRESENTED TOWARD SAID DETACHABLE CONNECTION, SAID PAWL BEING SELECTIVELY ADJUSTABLE ON THE INNER END OF SAID CYLINDER ELEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS OF COOPERATION WITH SAID RACK, WHEREIN SAID PAWL IN ITS FIRST POSITION CLUTCHES SAID RACK IN RESPONSE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS INTO THEIR EXTENDED POSITION AND OVERRIDES SAID RACK IN RESPONSE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS INTO THEIR CONTRACTED POSITION, WITH THE RESULT THAT SAID MOTOR TRAVELS WITH SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER AND PUSHES SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER WITH A STEP-BY-STEP MOTION ALONG SAID PLATFORM AND IN A CORRESPONDING FIRST DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID RACK, WHEREIN SAID PAWL IN ITS SECOND POSITION OVERRIDES SAID RACK IN RESPONSE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS INTO THEIR EXTENDED POSITION AND CLUTCHES SAID RACK IN RESPONSE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS INTO THEIR CONTRACTED POSITION, WITH THE RESULT THAT SAID MOTOR TRAVELS WITH SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER AND PULLS SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER WITH A STEP-BY-STEP MOTION ALONG SAID PLATFORM AND IN A CORRESPONDING SECOND DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID RACK, WHEREIN SAID FIRST AND SECOND DIRECTIONS ARE OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER, WHEREIN SAID DETACHABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CONNECTOR ELEMENT AND THE LOWER CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER ACCOMMODATES PIVOTAL MOVEMENTS OF SAID MOTOR IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER, SO AS TO FACILITATE OVERRIDING OF SAID PAWL WITH RESPECT TO SAID RACK, SAID DETACHABLE CONNECTION ALSO ACCOMMODATING RAPID CONNECTION AND DISCONNECTION OF SAID MOTOR WITH RESPECT TO THE LOWER CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER, SO AS TO FACILITATE READY HANDLING OF SAID MOTOR AND THE EASE WITH WHICH SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER IS HANDLED ON SAID PLATFORM, AND WHEREIN SAID LOCATION OF SAID PAWL ON SAID CYLINDER ELEMENT ADJACENT TO SAID INNER END THEREOF ACCOMMODATES COOPERATION OF SAID PAWL WITH THE EXTREME END PORTION OF SAID RACK DISPOSED ADJACENT TO AN EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM, SO AS TO FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER BY SAID MOTOR WHEN SAID FREIGHT CONTAINER IS SUPPORTED BY SAID PLATFORM ADJACENT TO SAID EDGE THEREOF. 